Fighting for His Favor
by Shibalyfe
Summary: Bellatrix wants to be the Dark Lord's favorite. This was written for The Houses Competition: Y3R8.


House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect

Category: Bonus #1

Prompt 1: Rivalry

Prompt 2: Coquelicot

Prompt 3: [Speech] "If you say that again I will punch you."

Word Count: 1752

Beta: Tigger

A/N: WARNING: VIOLENCE! AU. This was written for The Houses Competition: Y3R8.

Fighting for His Favor

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed as she walked into the room and noticed who was talking to her master. She immediately strutted to his side, her eyes never leaving the grizzly face of the man; she didn't trust him. She would have killed him a long time ago if her master hadn't forbidden it.

"Master," she said as she bowed. She straightened and glared at the figure across from her. "Dog," she hissed.

"Hag," he growled.

The Dark Lord turned and began to glide towards the long table set up in the middle of the room, Bellatrix and Fenrir quickly falling into step behind him. Once reaching his seat, he turned and reached out towards Bellatrix. His boney fingers curled around her hand and tugged her towards the sacred seat on his right. She flashed a triumphant smile at Fenrir.

She was glowing as the Dark Lord sang her praises on her recent successful mission. He recounted every gory detail and she could feel the jealousy coming off in waves across the table from Greyback, which she basked in. He had been the one who was assigned the task of capturing Edgar Bones but he had failed. Worthless dog. She had been the one to find the filthy blood traitor and kill him. She had been the one who had delivered their wands to the Dark Lord. She had been the one to tell him that they were all dead and she was the one that was now seated at his right hand, a place of honor, in front of everyone. She was the most powerful Death Eater and she would make sure that Fenrir never forgot it. She had taken his spot and he would never get it back. She had won.

* * *

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed as she felt a strong hand envelope her forearm. She tried to yank her arm free but only felt the claws tighten. She turned to face her assailant and smirked when she saw the anger in his eyes.

"Finally learning who is the head of this pack, dog?" She mocked.

He growled, "I know you will fall from his graces soon, witch. It runs in your pathetic family. We werewolves kill off our young that are too weak to survive—pity that your family thought your continued existence would be worth anything one day. Regulus was your cousin, was he not?"

She spat at him. "How dare you say his name in my presence? That filthy blood traitor is no family of mine."

"Well," He reached out to grip her chin and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "It's still the same filthy blood that runs through your veins."

She yanked her chin away from his grip and snarled at him. "If you say that again I will punch you." She curled her hands into fists. "Or skin you like the dog that you are. Get out of my face before I change my mind and kill you now."

He flashed his teeth at her. "And disregard the Dark Lord's orders?" He feigned shock. "Must run in the family." He laughed cruelly as she launched herself towards him but his reflexes were quicker than hers. He was halfway down the hall when she groaned in annoyance. "Watch your back, witch, and know that one day I will sink my claws in it."

Her hand was trembling as she gripped her wand in her hand and pointed it towards Fenrir's back. She let out a strangled cry as she tried to stop herself from shouting _Crucio_ at his retreating back and watching as the Coquelicot sparks engulfed his body. The image of his body writhing on the floor in pain calmed her down enough to allow her to turn around and walk away from him. Soon he would slip up and no longer be considered useful by the Dark Lord; he would no longer be under his protection and she would be the first in line to torture and kill him.

* * *

Bellatrix was kneeling in the middle of the floor. Her face was pressed against the hard marble, the cold against her cheek grounding her as she felt he waves of pain roll through her body. The Dark lord was angry with her and she knew that she deserved it; she had lost the Longbottoms, the only members of the Order that they could locate.

"Bellatrix," The Dark Lord hissed, "You have disappointed me." He grabbed her hair and forced her head back. His red eyes peered into her face and she could feel his warm breath dance angrily across her cheeks. She was growing dizzy from the pain but she didn't dare turn away or show any weakness. "Lucky for you, Fenrir has found them." He threw her down and kicked her across the room.

She kept her head down and didn't dare look up. She heard the heavy doors creak open and the shuffling of feet across the floor. She heard the rustle of robes and a following yelp as someone slammed the prisoners onto the floor in the middle of the room.

She could hear the Dark Lord circle the room quietly before stopping in front of her again.

"Get up, Bellatrix."

She slowly rose to her feet in front of him.

"I am giving you one more chance to prove yourself, Bellatrix. You will extract any useful information from these Mudblood Lovers."

"My Lord," a gruff voice objected. "Should we really trust her with this? She has already failed you once, My Lord."

The Dark Lord turned sharply to face Greyback. "Are you questioning my decisions?"

"No, My Lord, I just don't like to see you disappointed." Fenrir's eyes landed on hers and he smirked at her. "It seems to run in her family."

Red danced behind her eyes and she vowed that she would get him back for that comment. She glared at him across the room and hoped he could smell the hate that she felt towards him with his worthless dog nose.

The Dark Lord ignored him and made his way back towards Bellatrix. He caressed her cheek and then gave her a hard slap.

"Don't disappoint me again, Bellatrix."

He glided out of the room, the rest of the Death Eaters following behind him. She straightened her shoulders and palmed her knife and wand in both of her hands. She wouldn't disappoint the Dark Lord again and she would gather enough information to wipe that smirk off of Greyback's hairy face.

* * *

Bellatrix found herself locked in a heated debate with Greyback as the Dark Lord watched them, amused.

"My Lord, while this filthy dog was entertaining himself with killing Muggles, I have been actually working towards our goals of capturing the Order. I have found a member who is willing to defect with the right motivation." She grinned.

"My Lord," Greyback shot back, "This could be a trap. We know her source is a part of the Order. We cannot trust this."

"How dare you!" Bellatrix yelled. "I would lay down my life for the Dark Lord. I kill for him and carry out all of his orders. You attack and kill useless Muggles, while I am trying to help rise him to power. It is you we cannot trust!"

He snarled at her and she lunged at him. The Dark Lord raised his palm towards them and they immediately stopped and faced him.

"I propose you both prove your worth to me." His face twisted into a cruel smile. "Fight each other and whichever one of you is left standing will get to choose and lead our next attack. Do not kill each other though; I still have use for you both."

Bellatrix faced Greyback and pointed her wand at him while he shifted into more of a wolf, thick hair sprouting down his body and his mouth lengthening and turning into a snout. He snapped his mouth at her and leaped across the room towards her. She spun out of the way and shouted out the Imperiuscurse but it missed him as he bounced across the room.

She groaned in frustration as her eyes tried to keep up with his movements. She felt his claws dig into her shoulder and felt the sharp pain radiate down her arm. She threw out her arm and stabbed him in the side. He gave out a slight yelp and threw her to the ground.

He was towering over her, licking his lips and she knew she had to do something. She quickly pointed her wand towards him and yelled out, " _Crucio!"_

The Coquelicot sparks flew up towards him. She smiled as the bright red light brought the wolf to his knees. He was howling in pain and the sound made her giggle manically. He was on the ground where he belonged, at her feet. She let the bright red light engulf him for a few more minutes before finally dropping the spell and bowing towards the Dark Lord.

He nodded at her and she basked in his praise. "So it would appear that we are going after the Potters. Perfect."

* * *

She and Greyback were circling each other in the room, both waiting anxiously for the Dark Lord to return. She had been told to turn back by the Dark Lord once her source had been proven true. Her master had wanted to take out the last few members of the Order by himself. She was now stuck waiting with the dog.

 _Crack!_

Fenrir and her both perked up at the sound of boots bouncing off the floors. The doors flew open and Lucius stepped in.

"The Dark Lord has fallen!"

"What?" they both hissed.

"The boy, he lives, and The Dark Lord is nowhere to be found."

Bellatrix rushed towards the door. "I will find him."

Fenrir blocked her path. "I will find him," he growled.

She squared her shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes. "No, I will. You won't be able to, dog; we already know that your sniffer doesn't always work. I am the Dark Lord's most loyal subject and right hand man; I know **I** will be the one to find him."

Greyback scoffed at her. "We will just have to see then, won't we." He began to shift and once he was on all fours, took off down the hallway.

Bellatrix began to run after him, determined that she would win and prove her undying loyalty. She would find her master first.


End file.
